How do I get started on Paleo?

I guess the most common question we get about the Paleo Diet relates to how to start. My thinking on this matter is pretty simple, you either go all or nothing or you take the gradual approach. In my opinion option 1 is the best choice.

Some caveats are required here. If you are a carb-addict, getting off sugar can be like getting off crack. No, I’m not exaggerating. Your body can get addicted to sugar and the “kick” it provides your system. It’s much the same as any other substance dependency. So, jumping in with both feet can be quite difficult and is compliance is prone to massive lapses if you don’t get things in order first.

If you are going to make the quick switch, be prepared for an adaptation period where your body makes some internal changes due to the fuel change-over. You may experience some or all of the following:

• Lower energy levels
• Reduce performance
• Fluctuating moods
• Cravings

Don’t worry all of these “symptoms” are temporary. If you stay on track and get yourself used to eating well, you will find that you can experience the following on an ongoing basis:

• Higher energy levels
• Consistent energy levels (no peaks and troughs)
• Better performance
• Improved mental acuity

In order to make the switch stick, try this:

• Throw out all the crap food in your house
• Fill the fridge and pantry with Paleo-approved foods
• Get organised and plan your meals especially when you’ll be away from home
• Get your family (or those you live with) to buy in too

The gradual approach can also work but it allows you to maintain some of your current bad habits and the adaptation is slowed and so are the associated positive results. I think the gradual approach is suited to people who are unsure if they really want to go Paleo or just aren’t really commited.

If you’re going to try the gradual approach, try this:

• Throw out all the crap food in your house
• Fill the fridge and pantry with Paleo-approved foods
• Get organised and plan your meals especially when you’ll be away from home
• Change your breakfast meals to Paleo meals
• Decide what you’re going to change and stick with it (e.g. no grains, no dairy, no legumes)
• Start somewhere, but just start.

And please don’t ask me “is this Paleo?” Let’s worry about the intricacies after you’ve made the bigger changes.

My Whole 30 Adventure comes to an end

Today is my last day on The Whole 30 (it's an extra day so it's really The Whole 31 for me).

On the whole it's been a great experience.

Here's some of the things I discovered along the way:

• Eating strictly is not as hard as I expected. I eliminated all added sugar, alcohol, caffeine, dairy, processed foods, grains, legumes and take away foods. I thought I might struggle with a few of these. I admit that the first week was tough but that was a habit thing. As the month comes to a close I do not feel any cravings although I am looking forward to a more relaxed way of eating.
• I'm not addicted to caffeine. I've still been drinking coffee but it's been decaf. The number of coffees I've had each day has climbed but the amount of caffeine has dropped. The ceremony of coffee is of great interest to me. I like hitting a cafe for time out. I will really enjoy having a short macchiato tomorrow.
• I had no sugar cravings or withdrawal. Being a chocolate freak, I really thought I might suffer a bit of sugar withdrawal. No. Not a problem at all. I didn't even have to check myself walking down a confectionary aisle in the supermarket. There just wasn't the desire. I will be eating chocolate again though. Life's too short.
• Cooking Paleo is easy. Most people complain that Paleo cooking is too restrictive. Well, The Whole 30 takes it to a whole new level and we - my wife and I - found it easy. We ate curries, BBQs, salads, roasts and they were all awesome. We didn't have a did meal all month. Moving back to standard Paleo with a few off the reservation additions will be easier again.
• I'm not an alcoholic. I never thought I was but I do like a glass of wine with dinner and am partial to a single malt. This is where I thought I'd have my biggest problems but again the habit was broken in the first week.

So, it's all drawing to a close. From this point on I will still follow The Paleo Diet but I think I'll take a page out of Timothy Ferriss's book and free myself on the weekends. A bit of indulgence can't hurt (as long as it's sensible). I'll stay gluten-free unless I visit Naples again, I'm not missing out on the pizza there!

Scott, my business partner at Firebrand Fitness, is doing 90 days. You can read about his adventures on his blog.

Eating well at Christmas get-togethers

I had my second family Christmas gathering today. It's the first year I've been completely gluten-free so it was interesting to see what a difference it made.

The first and most obvious change was that I didn't drink any beer. Today, I had a few very small glasses of Pinot Noir. I honestly don't miss drinking beer. Wine doesn't bloat me and I don't have to urinate nearly as often. Both positives.

The pre-meal snacks were a bit more difficult to negotiate. There was a lot of cracker and dip action. I steered well clear. I did partake in a few kettle chips, I must confess.

The main meal was a cracker (no pun intended). Ham, turkey, chicken and a full array of salads. I decided that to go strict Paleo today was a tad crazy but I did make good choices anyhow. I avoided the bread rolls and the pasta salad (which looked amazing). I did take one risk: the chicken stuffing looked suspiciously bready. I did my best to avoid it but probably got some cross-contamination. All in all, I could have eaten completely Paleo and GF without much trouble.

Dessert. A problem. The Christmas Pudding was out of the question. Egad! The horror. Alas, my mother came to the rescue with a gluten-free fruit cake which I topped with hard sauce and custard. Oh, the decadence.

So, it can be done. One can get through a Christmas feast without falling completely off the rails and eating crap.

Paleo breakfast yum-yum

For some reason a whole bunch of folks have issues constructing Paleo breakfasts. I don't get it. Er, maybe I do. I think it's got to do with the fact that most peeps are used to corn flakes, toast and jam and a cup of tea any time earlier than midday. The whole idea of eating meat, eggs and other Paleo goodies causes a minor brain meltdown.

Well, I'm here to tell you a few cool things. Firstly, corn flakes are crap. Avoid them at all costs. Secondly, toast = gluten = death. Thirdly, bacon and eggs are heaven sent.

My breakfasts rotate around a few themes, here they are:

• Bacon and eggs
• Smoked salmon and eggs
• Omelettes (of many variations)
• Fresh fruit
• Left-over meat and veg from the previous evening meal

Smoked salmon and boiled eggs. Too easy.

So, what's your excuse? Really. Why can't you eat like a caveman before midday? Hmmm?

So, what are you guys gonna do here then?

There are plenty of great Paleo websites online already. We know, we visit them. So, why another one? Two reasons: we want to spread the word and we want to show you how to cook some great Paleo goodies.

You see, most people avoid switching to a Paleo lifestyle simply because they think it's too hard or they can't think of meals to cook that fit the Paleo concept. We're going to show you how easy it is. And it's gonna be yumm-o too!

Paleo? Er, what's that then?

When we say "Paleo", we're talking about the way of eating that is often referred to as The Paleo Diet, The Ancestral Diet, The Caveman Diet and a few others. They are all variations on the same concept. And to be truthful it's not a diet, it's lifestyle choice that ensures you eat what you are designed to eat.

Paleo eating and living is not a fad. It's not a quick fix (although rapid weight loss is possible). The Paleo Diet is a way of getting your metabolism, body composition and overall health back on track, and keep it there.

"Paleo" is used to name the concept because our genetic makeup hasn't changed since paleolithic times; unfortunately our diet has changed significantly -- and not for the better.

In a nutshell, The Paleo Diet suggests you eat meat, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruit. It excludes processed foods, sugar, starchy vegetables, legumes, dairy and grains thereby removing just about everything that causes inflammation, irritation and illness.

The diet is perfect for diabetics, coeliacs, those suffering inflammatory illness and autoimmune disease, and everyone else too. Seriously, this is how you should be eating.

Why is it so good? It's gluten-free, dairy-free, preservative-free, additive-free. It's high in nutrients. It's fresh. It's natural. And it tastes good.

Get the good oil here:

• Robb Wolf's Paleo Solution
• Mark's Daily Apple
• Primal Body, Primal Mind
• Dr Loren Cordain's Paleo Diet
• The Whole 9

Who are these Paleo Brothers you speak of?

We're just two guys.

One of us is a chef and fitness trainer (Joe).
The other is a fitness coach, blogger and entrepreneur (Adam).

We like cooking.
We like eating.
We like being fit and healthy.

So, we've started a blog.

Yummy goodness is coming to a computer screen near you.

Stay tuned.